The Moment
by PhantasmBabeIvory
Summary: When Demolisher inadvertently becomes aware of Alexis & Starscream's relationship, it forces the unlikely couple to evaluate how their romance came about. A short sequel to Starxis, but contains several flashbacks and one flash-forward. SS/AL


The Moment

By: PhantasmBabeIvory

Author's notes: The following is a short story centered around Starscream and Alexis that was inspired by the following song lyrics. While it primarily takes place between Starxis & Sky Dancer, it does contain some spoilers for both stories. If you have not read either of the previous two, particularly Starxis, I highly recommend checking them out first. Otherwise, enjoy!

_So tonight I'll ask the stars above  
__How did I ever win your love  
__What did I do, what did I say  
__To turn your angel eyes my way_

_- Angel Eyes  
__- Jeff Healey Band_

It could be said by some that one of the hardest questions to answer would be, "How did this happen?"

Such was the inquiry that Starscream and Alexis Carpenter were faced with one afternoon late in July, courtesy of his friend, Demolisher. If either of the former two had been given the choice, they might have elected to erase the past minute of conversation between them that had prompted the question. As it stood, however, there was no going back; both Starscream and Alexis were currently struck speechless, showing signs of nervousness and each awkwardly trying to come up with a good way to respond.

When it became apparent to Demolisher that no answer was forthcoming, he turned away from the twosome for a moment, rubbing at his face while trying to process what he'd just heard. At last, he turned to look back at them, saying simply as a sort of prompt, "Both of you just said 'I love you' to each other...?"

Alexis and Starscream exchanged a look, which only reaffirmed what Demolisher had heard and was inquiring about. With his optics shining with love for the human girl seated on a large metal balcony overlooking the ocean near him, which he'd only a minute earlier been leaning over, he looked back at his closest friend and said simply, "You heard right, Demolisher."

Demolisher looked even more flustered by this declaration. "But how… When…?" Demolisher let out a breath after a few seconds, seeming to compose himself in the same moment. Taking a step forward, he stated, "This is nuts, Starscream." Gesturing towards Alexis, he added, (much to her insult) "She's nothing more than a measly human. What is there to love?"

Via their telepathic link (courtesy of the psychic alien critter, Starxis, who'd come to call the twosome his adoptive parents), Starscream could hear Alexis balking at the comment. Tilting his head slightly in her direction, he sent out a few silent words meant to calm her. Focusing on Demolisher, he said aloud, "Don't be so hasty to judge. Size difference aside, this girl," he said pointedly, "has accomplished far more than you can imagine in the time I've known her."

Demolisher took a few seconds to absorb that, then said weakly, "But… this isn't right." After a slight pause, he went on with, "She's so much smaller than we are. Even if you do have feelings for her, there's no way anything could come of this!" Another pause, and then, "Again, I have to ask… How did this happen?"

Starscream hesitated, then turned to look at Alexis at the same time that her gaze lifted to meet his. Strangely, both of them were downright mystified by the question; they'd never dwelled in detail on just how this—their feelings for each other—had come about. After a long moment spent in deep thought, it was Alexis who turned towards Demolisher, speaking for the first time. "It just happened," she said with a slight shrug. "There is no easy explanation as to how. It was just… It happened gradually."

Seeing that his friend looked completely lost, Starscream took a step forward, simultaneously directing Starxis to go to his adoptive mother's side. Clapping Demolisher on the shoulder, Starscream stated, "It'll take time to tell the whole story. If you'd like to, we could do so over drinks." When Demolisher hesitantly nodded, Starscream tilted his head slightly in Alexis' direction, sending a telepathic thought out to her. _Be patient, my love. He'll come around._

Alexis raised her head a notch, one hand already gently caressing Starxis' furry head. _I don't doubt that,_ she answered. _Take care…_

She watched them leave, then turned her face back towards the ocean, letting out a sigh as the breeze lightly ruffled her long brown hair. For a long moment, she simply took in the scenery, completely at peace, but then her thoughts began to return to the question posed by Demolisher. She marveled over the fact that she'd not given it much thought, in the four years since it had occurred, but she now found herself carefully scrutinizing her own memories from that time period.

After some time, Alexis leaned back with a sigh, her hands placed flat against the metal ledge to hold herself up. She may not be able to say at this point just what led to her developing strong feelings for Starscream, but she knew without a doubt just what had set it in motion. With a soft smile playing at her lips, she gazed out towards the horizon, her mind falling back through time to the day it had all begun…

She had known the Autobots for almost a year on the day when Starscream came to join their ranks. Although, in retrospect, that took some effort on both sides for it to be finalized. Up until then, it was unheard of, at least to her, for a true Decepticon to want to switch sides. Scavenger, one of the oldest of the Autobots, was the closest example, but then, he had only infiltrated the opposing team for a short while as a spy, following an extended period of time operating as a freelance merc for hire.

The day had started off simply enough, and, until mid-afternoon, it appeared that it would be business as usual around the Autobot base, in spite of the fact that one of their own was in the med-bay in critical condition, being operated on by Red Alert, the Autobot medic. Otherwise, everything had been perfectly quiet and serene until the computers in the security room started flashing warnings that two Transformers bearing Decepticon energy signatures were approaching the base. The alarms had been sufficient to draw everyone into the room, either out of restlessness or anxiety; of those in the latter group, the general consensus was that no good could ever come from the enemy striking at the homefront.

It came as a surprise to both groups, once they realized that Starscream was being pursued and fired upon by one of his own teammates. There were some who would later question if the chase had wound up here at their doorstep by chance or by intention. Starscream would never say in the aftermath, but as he would admit to not being injured in any way prior to his flight, he could easily have outrun Tidal Wave if he'd really wanted to. In any event, a small group of Autobots ventured out to greet and/or combat the enemy bots.

It didn't take much doing to chase off Tidal Wave, especially when Starscream provided aid towards this end, but that didn't give the majority of the Autobots any cause to trust the latter right off the bat. Scavenger was the only one truly willing to hear what the fugitive Decepticon had to say (with the Autobot leader, Optimus, running a close second), which was what had led to the gathering back in the security room. As Alexis recalled, just about every other bot in the room had their weapon drawn in case of trouble.

Prior to that moment, the last they had seen of Starscream was approximately 18 hours prior within a remote forest in the wilds of South America, just generally being a nuisance and seemingly operating solo. Not even one of the other Decepticons made an appearance while the majority of the Autobot team was out there keeping an eye on Starscream, but it was discovered too late that this event was meant as a distraction so that the enemy could infiltrate their base of operations and steal a weapon in the Autobots' possession.

Hearing Starscream tell his version of the event was enough to raise Alexis' sympathy, if no one else's. It was revealed that the now-fugitive Decepticon had been duped by his own team into filling this role. His team members may or may not have been watching from the sidelines as Starscream claimed, but in either case, they had left him out there alone with absolutely no indication of what was going on. And to make matters worse, he had been left stranded out there; when he had attempted to access the Decepticon warp gate to return to base, Starscream had found it had been closed off to him.

Starscream had had no choice but to fly all the back to the Decepticon base on Earth's moon, but his troubles didn't stop there. He hadn't even been back long before inadvertently overhearing a conversation before his leader, Megatron, and the Decepticons' tactical adviser, voicing their agreement that they would have preferred never to see Starscream again and that they'd hoped he would have perished out there.

Starscream could easily have left quietly upon hearing this, but he was far too infuriated at that point. He went so far as to attack Megatron in his fury and only fled when this caused the others to begin to gang up against him. Had he not made off with another weapon that the Decepticons had gone to great lengths to acquire, it was unclear if any of Starscream's "teammates" would have bothered pursuing him.

Scavenger had known in advance that there tended to be a lot of friction amongst those in the enemy camp, but this was taking things to a whole new level. He'd never imagined that there would be a betrayal of this magnitude. With a slightly sympathetic look in his optics, Scavenger crossed his arms and stated, "You were lucky to get out of there in one piece." A pause, and then (with an exchanged look with Optimus), "If you're interested in sticking around, we would have no trouble making room for you here."

Starscream wasn't given a chance to respond before Hot Shot, ever the impetuous one, was jumping in. "Oh, you can't be serious!" the latter protested.

Scavenger threw a sharp gaze at the younger soldier. "Be quiet, Hot Shot!" he barked out, his tone harsh enough to make most beings cringe.

Hot Shot, however, would not be denied, especially not after the number of times he and Starscream had gone head to head in battle. At the thought, Alexis looked around at everyone else in the room; there were several other Autobots who looked disagreeable as well, but they seemed content to let Hot Shot have the floor. "You can't ask us to trust this guy, Scavenger! It's because of soldiers like him that Smokescreen's" (Hot Shot was referring to the critically injured Autobot currently in the med-bay) "in bad shape. Starscream's no better than any of them."

With a stern look, Scavenger answered, "That's not fair, Hot Shot. He could easily have run once Tidal Wave was intercepted by us. And we all saw the latter trying to gun him down." Scavenger's gaze panned the room, and he followed it up by saying, "Do you all really want to turn him away under those circumstances… I for one would not be so cold as to refuse protection to anyone in this situation, not even a Decepticon."

Alexis' gaze, which had been panning the room as well, returned to Starscream at this point, and it startled her when his optics turned in her direction a second later. She would never know if it was the movement that drew his gaze, but he let out a visible snort once he registered that she was watching him and turned away with a look of annoyance.

She didn't even have time to wonder at his behavior before Scavenger was continuing, spurred by everyone's silence on the matter. Crossing his arms, he stated in a slightly dark tone, "It's nice to know just how close-minded the majority of you are… Even I got more of a warm reception when I came to join the team."

Hot Shot shifted his weight, blinking furiously. "That's hardly a fair comparison, and you know it, Scavenger. You were never really one of _them_."

Alexis blinked as well, feeling slightly cold as Hot Shot's words echoed through the suddenly silent room. In all the time she had known the Autobots, she had seen one or more of them wear a variety of hats and exhibit many different attitudes, and had seen them through good times and bad. She even trusted every single one of them with her life. But, until now, she would never have viewed the majority of them as hypocrites – even Optimus, given that he hadn't said a single word in protest. The mere fact that Starscream was being largely defined by the Decepticon emblems adorning his wings spoke volumes about what was happening here. (Even undercover, Scavenger had never adopted the faction symbols of the enemy.)

Starscream was speaking before she knew it, and Alexis forced herself to focus. "Okay," the fugitive Decepticon was saying in a slightly agitated tone. "I'd say that settles it. I'm out of here."

Scavenger took half a step forward, a look of concern rising to his optics. "Starscream, wait a minute…"

Starscream turned to look at the veteran soldier. "I appreciate the gesture, Scavenger, but it's clear this is not working. We both know it's not." He shifted his gaze to regard the remainder of the Autobots. "If none of you are willing to trust me, then there's no point to stick around… And seeing as I can't go back, I'll just have to find some alternative place to stay. And, if this means I'd have to battle Megatron alone, then so be it."

At those words, Starscream turned and started to walk from the room, but he didn't get far before the three Mini-Cons (a trio of human-sized Transformers that, combined, formed the sword he'd stolen from the Decepticons) that had accompanied him actually began to visually panic, especially when the jet bade them to come along. It would later be determined that the three tiny bots weren't in favor of this, and they didn't want to leave the more secure sanctuary that was the Autobot base. Two of them even went so far as to latch on to Starscream's legs in a ridiculously feeble attempt to stop him.

Even without this last display, Alexis was inspired to say something against the injustice of the situation. Taking several steps forward and oblivious of the fact that the human boys at her sides turned to look at her in surprise, she stated, in a slightly raised tone, "No, you don't! And if you're looking for someone other than Scavenger to trust you, then allow me to cast the next vote!"

Hot Shot and several others turned their gazes towards her in surprise, but Alexis paid them no heed, nor did she allow them to get a word in edgewise. Keeping her eyes on the back of Starscream's head, she addressed everyone else in the room. "As for the rest of you, I expected better than this. Turning your back on someone who clearly needs help?! If Starscream walks out of this base – if Megatron finds and kills him at any point after this – it would be on all of you! Are any of you ready to have that kind of blood on your hands?!"

Starscream's head tilted up a notch in the middle of her speech, though he didn't turn to look at her. He would tell her much later that the compelling argument she'd presented did have an affect on him, but in that particular moment, she could only wonder what he was thinking.

Out of the corner of her eye, Alexis could see Optimus regarding her with a curious expression, for a full 15 seconds. At last, he composed himself, squaring his shoulders and shifting his gaze towards the group in general. "Alexis makes a good point. From now on, Starscream will be a part of our team. I don't expect all of you to agree with this, but I do ask that you get used to having him here among us."

"But, Optimus…" Hot Shot started to protest, only to have the Autobot leader round on him in an instant.

"This topic is no longer open to debate, Hot Shot! I've made my decision, and I expect you – all of you – to honor it!" He turned to look at Starscream, who had yet to turn back around. "I leave it up to you, Starscream, now that the offer's been made. Just know that we all share a common goal now, and that's to combat Megatron." Optimus could easily have gone on to add that their goal was also to protect the Mini-Cons, but he stopped there; Alexis later reasoned that he had wanted only to present Starscream with the most compelling variable to better influence the latter's decision.

Starscream turned on his heel a few seconds later, and the Mini-Cons still clinging to his legs were shaken loose and were flat on their behinds in an instant. He definitely looked more heartened, which caused a smile to pull at Alexis' lips. Briefly, Starscream turned to look in her direction, but his gaze was moving on before she could even think to shyly turn away. He summed it up with just a few simple words, spoken in a cavalier tone, "How about showing me to my quarters then?"

Alexis watched silently as Scavenger led Starscream from the room, as the optics of Hot Shot and several others bore daggers towards the departing Decepticon. There would still be some rough waves in the days to follow, which would be tempered two weeks later following when Starscream crossed paths with Starxis on Mars. But for now – this was a start…

Even as Alexis was lost in the memory of that first day, Starscream was relating the entire story to Demolisher beginning with his departure from the Decepticon team. By the time he was finished relating all the details pertaining both to his blossoming relationship with Alexis and what brought about the end of the war, Demolisher looked positively astounded. Granted, it helped clear up some questions that the hard-edged bot had always had from those days, but some parts were so radical that it was hard to imagine that they'd actually occurred.

For now, Demolisher chose to focus on what was arguably the most surprising revelation. Rubbing at his optics, he said in a weary tone, "How in the world did this small human female of all beings get Megatron to agree to a ceasefire between the two sides?"

Leaned back in his seat and looking as casual as could be, Starscream answered in a slightly rhetorical manner. "I told you she'd accomplished more than you could imagine… And in either case, I think we could all be grateful that she did. I don't know if any one of us may still be alive to this day otherwise."

Demolisher paused, his thoughts going to Unicron, a vengeful fallen God from the dawn of the Transformers' world who had tried to exterminate the whole lot of them. He gave Starscream's claim some thought before hesitantly saying, "You may be right, my friend." Shifting his weight, Demolisher hesitated once more, his respect for Alexis going up a notch. Rubbing at the back of his neck, he added, "Not only that, but I'd always thought it had been Optimus and Megatron that had shut down Unicron… I had no idea that a human was the cause of that as well."

Starscream tilted his head to the side, contemplating this for a moment. "I suppose that's what caused me to come to care for her. Alexis… and her friends… seemed to surprise me to no end from the day I wound up in their camp. Until I got an up close and personal look, I'd had no idea just how brave and resourceful they could be." Starscream paused, downing the remainder of the energized fluid within the metal cup on the counter. "If she hadn't been willing to believe in and fight for me from day one, it's pretty likely I wouldn't be here… If not dead by now, I probably would have spent every day looking over my shoulder for either Megatron or Unicron."

Demolisher nodded, then went to staring into his own cup for a long moment. At last, he glanced sideways at his friend and stated, "That doesn't change the fact that she's still so much smaller than us… It's one thing to have feelings for her, but I'd hate to see you wasting time on something that can never be fully realized, Starscream."

Starscream leaned forward slightly. "That's where you're wrong. I thought you would have figured that out when I told you the circumstances in which she got Megatron to agree to an alliance."

Demolisher paused once more, a dubious expression on his face. "Seems like a lot to bank on. I mean, you said yourself that Scavenger was unclear of what the limits of this wish could be."

Starscream considered this; he had been putting a lot of faith into what Starxis was capable of and had not given any thought to the contrary. "If that's the case," he said hesitantly, "then I suppose we'll find another way… But until Alexis tells me that she's ready to become one of us, we won't be able to put it to the test." He paused again, then, off of Demolisher's look, he added, "If there's anything that my experiences with her have taught me, it's that anything is possible, if you believe in and fight for it hard enough. What I know, here and now, is that I want to be with her… I'll do whatever it takes, should the wish fail, because she's worth it."

Demolisher remained silent for a bit, contemplating this, then went back to staring into his cup. "I hope it works out for you then," he said half-heartedly.

Starscream could have continued to argue the point, but instead, he climbed to his feet, amicably clapping Demolisher on one shoulder. Thank you," he said when his friend looked up at him with a start. "And now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be rejoining her."

Starscream had just turned away when Demolisher suddenly asked, "When was it?" When Starscream turned back with a questioning look, Demolisher clarified it with, "When did you know, without a doubt, how you felt about her?"

Starscream tilted his head slightly to the side after a couple seconds, searching his memories for something specific. Try as he might to say he knew beforehand, his mind kept coming back to one certain moment in time. Focusing back on Demolisher, he began speaking of the memory…

(Four years prior)

Starscream would never be certain just how long he remained at Alexis' side in the med-bay, following when she had made her wish to personally coerce Megatron into declaring a truce. Given the way her wish had been worded, this had entailed that both she and the Decepticon leader be rendered unconscious to "communicate" one-on-one until an agreement could be reached. Until such time, Alexis was completely cut off from the world around her. Starscream hadn't even been able to hear a single one of her thoughts since she'd fallen into this trance.

Currently, Starscream was kneeling beside the large metal slab that Alexis' prone form had been positioned on, silently wishing for the umpteenth time that he could at least have some insight into what was going on. It would be nice to know if she was making any headway whatsoever.

He didn't know just how long he remained there watching her in silence before his thoughts began drifting back to his first day amongst the Autobots. At the recollection, a smile began to pull at his lips. Focusing blindly on Alexis, he softly stated, "If there's anyone who might be able to do the impossible, I imagine it would be you. You've proven, many times over, that you definitely have a way with words… But then again, I know how stubborn Megatron can be. And given that we are racing the clock, I can only hope that you can persuade him and quickly."

Starscream lifted one hand to rub at his face, giving a sigh. "But, more than that, I want you back with me, Alexis. I… I know that must sound selfish, but… If even this isn't enough, if we can't put Unicron down even if we are all united, then there's nobody I'd rather face any final moments with than you." When the youngling turned to look at him with an incensed chirp, Starscream quickly amended that with, "And Starxis… I don't know how or when it came about, but I can't imagine my life without either of you in it now."

Before Starscream could go on, Alexis' eyes suddenly snapped open, and a second later, something like a gasp escaped her lips. Starscream instantly froze, not daring to move lest she fall back into the trance if he did something to shatter the moment. Subsequently, Alexis spent a long moment just studying the ceiling, seeming completely dazed. Had Starxis not broken the stillness by giving a soft chirp, it could have been an eternity before either of the two moved.

Alexis turned her head to look at Starxis, a faint smile coming to her face; in the same instant, her mind flooded with the memories of her debate with Megatron, and those same thoughts passed over to Starscream via their telepathic link. It took him only seconds to process all that had been said, but it was the mere fact that she had been successful in securing an alliance that filled him with awe. As her gaze was turning towards him, the foremost thought in his processor was of how remarkable it was that the universe's most ruthless, 50-foot-tall warlord was "taken down" by a five ½ foot human female.

Marveling over the idea that _she_ had been the one to best the one bot he hated with every fiber of his being, Starscream shifted, moving his hand once she'd sat up so it nearly rested against her back. Nevertheless, she shortly leaned into his open palm and gave a soft sigh. _Mmm, that feels nice,_ he heard her muse.

His smile grew slightly wider at the comment. "You are amazing," he said warmly, going on to voice his admiration of what she'd pulled off.

In a jokingly modest gesture, Alexis shrugged it off by saying, "It was nothing."

Starscream laughed, following it up by musing, _Trust you to downplay something this momentous. I knew there was a reason that I love you…_

Neither he nor Alexis fully comprehended the words as they were said; once it registered with both of them what he had just stated, it left each of them dazed. Granted, she had said it first – a mere two and a half hours ago – but she had also said shortly after that that she didn't expect him to reciprocate. He hadn't even planned to say it, but, in the seconds he spent reflecting on it, he realized that it felt… right.

Looking back at her, Starscream voiced it aloud to reaffirm it (which would, in the long run, solidify their relationship). "I love you…"

Starscream and Demolisher shared only a few more words after the story had been told, but the hard-edged bot was left with a clearer understanding of what was, to him, a very strange relationship. Even still, it left Starscream with a lingering question of his own, which he knew could only be answered by one person.

He found Alexis and Starxis right where he'd left them, and it wasn't long before he was positioned alongside them once more, leaning over the balcony and peering out towards the ocean for a moment. Out of the corner of his optic, he could see her watching him curiously, but her expression slowly melted into a blank look as his thoughts of the talk with Demolisher found their way to her. Starscream didn't press her to say anything; over the years, they'd grown accustomed to giving each other time to formulate a response to any and all thoughts shared between them.

After a long while, Alexis shifted to better look at him, a soft smile playing at her lips. "I'd suspected for some time, what it was that tipped the balance for you. But I wasn't sure until just now." A pause, and then, "I can't believe I never thought to ask before."

Starscream turned his head to look directly at her. "The feeling's mutual. It had never occurred to me either until Demolisher brought it up… I suppose that our relationship would seem very unusual, to both your race and mine, to anyone who's unaware of how it started."

Alexis raised her head a notch, a slightly distant look in her eyes. "I thought likewise, when I first realized it – when it was all still fresh and new," she answered after several seconds, partially lost in her own memory.

A look of recognition came to his orange optics. "So it _was_ the same for you as it was for me. You weren't sure either until just before it came out…?"

Alexis hesitated. "Come on, Starscream," she answered in an ironic tone. "You know our perspectives weren't exactly synced up for that particular moment. I was given more time to dwell on it than you."

Starscream gave a short, highly amused laugh. "Maybe I forgot," he said, half serious and half playful. "Maybe you should walk me through it one more time."

Alexis tilted her head to one side. "Why not?" she said simply, shortly kicking off with her own narrative…

(Four years prior)

From the start, there was nothing about the situation as a whole, including everything that had led up to it, that could be considered normal, even by Autobot standards. The day had started off with Starscream and Hot Shot undertaking a mission to infiltrate Megatron's stronghold in an attempt to secure the alliance that would ultimately fall to Alexis. What caused this effort to fail was the revelation that one of Megatron's troops (Thrust) had come to ally with Unicron and was actively aiding the latter's rise to power and quest to wipe out the Transformers race. As Alexis understood it, Thrust had unwittingly exposed himself as a traitor to all involved parties in the midst of the negotiation. And, when Thrust had subsequently run, Starscream (and then Hot Shot) shortly followed in hot pursuit.

When the chase led into a network of tunnels beneath the surface of Cybertron, Hot Shot had opened a video channel to the other Autobots to ask for assistance in navigating the place. _This_ had inadvertently led to a handful of Mini-Cons insisting on an expedition into the tunnels immediately, with the demand that Alexis and two of her friends (and Starxis, who didn't want to let his "mother" out of his sight even for a second) tag along for the ride. Unfortunately, she and her friends stumbled upon Starscream and Thrust as they were facing off against each other; Starscream's momentary distraction at seeing her and the others had allowed Thrust to get the drop on him.

Both Starscream and Starxis were seemingly killed in the ensuing melee (to this day, Alexis didn't know what their fates would have been if the Mini-Cons hadn't manipulated the timestream). She and her friends (Rad and Carlos) were propelled through time, first given a view of one possible future in which the Transformers had been all but wiped out, and then a chance to influence the past to set an important event in motion. And, when the time travel jaunt ended, they were deposited within the tenuous seconds _before_ either Starscream or Thrust knew they were there.

Alexis had been quick to take advantage of the situation, to alter the outcome in Starscream's favor, but the effort had nevertheless resulted in a cave in. And, Thrust had once more made a run for it while Starscream moved to shelter her and her companions from the falling debris.

When the danger had passed and Alexis had looked up at Starscream, it instantly caused her eyes to well with tears. Even as her mind was racing with disjointed images of what she'd experienced for the past thirty-some minutes, she thought, _How funny that I'm the one who gets to save you this time… When I thought you gone, it felt like someone had punched a hole in my heart. If that tells me anything, it's that I want you with me, always and forever… I love you, Starscream._

Starscream offered her a warm smile even though she would learn later that he was too preoccupied to process the thoughts he was getting from her. An instant after the last of it crossed her mind, he was turning away, his gaze going to the tunnel where Thrust had run and his smile fading. She heard him think, _I can't let him get away_, just before he rose to his feet and started running.

"Wait!" Alexis called after him in slight desperation, and was disappointed when it did nothing to make him halt. She watched him retreat for what seemed like forever, longing for some feedback or sign that her feelings would be reciprocated. Had Starxis not drawn her attention by chirping, she didn't know how long the foul mood she was in would have held her. Without a second thought, she dropped to her knees beside the youngling, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as the joy over him still being alive as well overtook her. "I love you," she whispered to Starxis, her heart warming when he gave a second, enthusiastic chirp.

She scarcely paid attention to most of the events that followed (from Rad's questioning of the Mini-Cons to when Hot Shot found them and subsequently sought counsel from Optimus on whether or not to let them tag along in pursuit of Thrust). For the most part, her thoughts were on Starscream and worry over his well-being.

She got a partial distraction when Rad wandered over and kneeled across from her, while Hot Shot was communicating with Optimus. When she looked up at him, he surprised her by kicking off with, "In case you're worried, I'm sure Starscream will be okay. Distractions aside, he can pretty much take care of himself. Thrust won't get the better of him again."

Alexis blinked. She hadn't even considered that aspect, but she realized that Rad was right to voice it as she thought about it. Having got a taste of a life without him, she realized it would make her anxious if Starscream ever got into a dangerous situation. And, Thrust was, for the most part, a coward and, in comparison to Starscream, a less than innovative fighter. When she looked back at Rad, her eyes were shining with gratitude, and she was appreciative of his effort to put her at ease.

Rad's next words, however, both proved just how observant he was and caught her off guard. In a matter-of-fact tone, he stated simply, "You're in love with him." When she looked at him with wide, bewildered eyes, he said, "I saw your face, when you realized Starscream was still alive, that you hadn't lost him after all. I'm no expert on the subject, but I know enough to recognize it for what it is."

Alexis hesitated, then cast her eyes downward and lightly bit her lip. However, she offered no denial of the fact; she'd be lying to both him and herself if she did. Yet, being given the opportunity to see this through someone else's eyes opened her up to just how outlandish it was. "Gives a whole new meaning to impossible, doesn't it? God, what am I thinking?! True or not, there's no way this could even work… For one thing, he's forty feet taller than I am!"

Surprisingly, Rad offered a pretty solid rationalization of this. Later on, Alexis would thank him for being her champion in this and encouraging her to embrace it. "That didn't stop any of us from becoming friends with the Autobots, Alexis. Why should this be any different? I'll admit, it's rather unorthodox, but… No matter what becomes of this, you shouldn't deny what your heart tells you."

Alexis kept her gaze focused on the floor, considering this. It was true – she, Rad, and Carlos had accepted the Autobots and\or Mini-Cons as friends with no hesitation. She had even considered Starscream as such after he had come to join the team. And, the fact that her feelings for him had elevated to the next level… Well, there was something about him, his personality, that struck chords with her.

At the thought, she turned to briefly look down the passageway where he had gone, wondering if he'd picked up on her thoughts before departing – and, if he had, what his reaction would be when they came face to face once more. Though a large part of her yearned to hear the same three words within him, she was quick to put a lid on the rush of hope threatening to consume her. Truth be told, she had to stay practical, or risk suffering a great heartbreak in a different way. It was one thing for a human to develop strong feelings for a giant sentient robot; it was quite another for the reverse to happen.

And, unless the miraculous happened, she would just have to assume that Starscream would never feel the same way about her…

Starscream had listened silently to Alexis' side of how she had fallen for him, but the tidbit that it had been Rad who'd helped her make sense of it was completely new to him. Alexis had never spoken or thought of that aspect in the four years since. And now…

The more Starscream reflected on this, the more thankful he began to feel towards Rad. There had been a couple instances, during his early days among the Autobots, where he'd wonder about the relationship between Rad and Alexis – whether it was friendship or something more. The fact that the former had given the latter a push towards something that would make her happy spoke volumes.

At the thought, Starscream tilted his head to gaze lovingly at her, feeling the urge to respond to the last thought she had recollected. "I suppose it's time we thank Starxis for making that miracle possible," he said lightly, moving his hand to gently stroke the youngling's back.

Moving her own hand to Starxis' head and warming when the youngling gave a hearty chirp, Alexis responded, "I agree." She and Starscream followed this by voicing their gratitude, then she went on with, "And, as to what Demolisher said… I have faith that Starxis has it in him to give us one more miracle, and the third one at that."

Starscream took on a quizzical look. "What was the first?"

Alexis turned to look up at him, her eyes shining brightly. "Bringing us closer together. And for making it so that you didn't go back to the Decepticon team."

Starscream had to disagree with that, after a moment of thought. Glancing sideways at her, he said simply, much to her surprise, "No, that's not right." After a pause, he clarified by stating, "All Starxis did, when all the chips were down, was help pave the way… for you." When she looked at him in bewilderment, her lips slightly parted, Starscream gave a soft smile and said, "You're the one who got the Autobots to give me a chance, who made me stay, who initiated the end of the war, who has broken down so many walls since the day I met you."

Alexis didn't say anything right away, allowing him to get in a few more statements that made her melt. "You're the real miracle worker, Alexis, and that's what I love about you the most. May there never come a day where you stop ceasing to surprise me."

Alexis nodded, a small sob sounding at the back of her throat. "So long as you promise that the day where you're no longer there to see it is a very, _very_ long time coming."

Starscream chuckled lightly. "I'll see what I can do…"

(Six years later)

Demolisher didn't realize it, on the fateful day six years hence, that he was standing in the vicinity of the area where he'd first heard Starscream and Alexis declare their love for each other. Had he known of this, the surprise that he would be subjected to may have had more impact.

He was guarding the main entrance of the now fully built colony of Ocean City; the layout had changed so dramatically over the past years that he would have needed some sort of marker to know that this was the same spot. That aside, Demolisher was currently very bored out of his metal skull, and he was now almost wishing that one of the city's most troublesome inhabitants might actually attempt _another_ escape through this very door.

When he caught sight of two fighter jets soaring in overhead and identified one of them as Starscream in his vehicle mode, Demolisher's mood lightened considerably. He stood up straight, simply watching as the planes came in for a landing on the oversized bridge facing the entrance. Though perplexed over who the other jet was, Demolisher cast it aside as Starscream shifted into his bot mode, looking equally elated, and stepped forward to knock fists with Demolisher in an amicable gesture.

"Welcome back, Starscream," Demolisher said in an upbeat tone. "It's good to see you once more."

"Same here, Demolisher," the red and white jet said in an equally-friendly tone. "How has life on Earth been treating you?"

Demolisher bowed his head, pausing a moment before admitting his displeasure with being assigned to guard duty. "I don't see how I'm going to stand this for another four months."

Starscream offered a slight smile. "Anything's bearable so long as you have someone to talk to… Tell you what - I'll stop by to keep you company at any opportunity I get."

Demolisher gave a small grin as well. "I'd appreciate that," he responded, then turned to look at the azure and pale yellow jet on the bridge a few yards away that had yet to transform. "So who's your friend…?" he started to say, breaking off when he saw that Starxis was standing near the other vehicle, nuzzling the nose of the plane with his head.

Even as Demolisher started to piece together the inklings of an idea, Starscream stepped towards the other jet, placing one hand gently on the left wing even as he turned to face his friend. "May I introduce the new and improved Alexis," Starscream said in a formal tone. "Or, as we agreed upon last night - Sky Dancer."

Seeming to take that as her cue, Alexis (Sky Dancer) transformed, and was soon standing shyly before Demolisher in her bot form with both of Starscream's hands resting on her shoulders. For a long moment, the hard-edged bot could only stare at her in a state of shock. The last he had heard was that the two of them had been granted a couple days to spend some time together, along with Starxis.

Demolisher took a couple steps forward, his mind still reeling over what his optics were showing him. Though a part of him registered that Starscream's wish had borne fruition after all, he still foolishly said, "This shouldn't be possible."

Alexis looked down at the youngling now cradled in her blue metal hands, quietly attributing her new form as Starxis' doing.

For a long while past this, Demolisher remained speechless, and the couple across from simply watched him in silent expectation. It was likely that Starscream and Alexis both knew this sudden change was something that would come as a shock to everyone who knew them, at least until she became more integrated amongst the Transformers.

Gradually, Demolisher thoughts returned to what Starscream had once said – that anything was possible if one fought for it hard enough. He wasn't sure that her transformation counted as the result of a fight, but Demolisher realized that it would take time for her to find and\or earn her place amongst them.

Until such time, it would satisfy Demolisher enough that Starscream and Alexis had beat the odds and were truly happy. While he wasn't personally accustomed to love or relationships, there was something about their joy that moved him. Even still, his face melted into a blank look, and he offered his congratulations in an equally unreadable tone, but he nevertheless vowed that he would support them every step of the way.

For this, as he would realize at a later time, was the moment that Demolisher truly became a believer in infinite possibilities…


End file.
